Verbena plant named ‘Lan Bule’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Lan Bule’, characterized by its compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent plant habit; freely branching habit; early and uniform flowering habit and dark blue violet-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Verbena hybrida cultivar Lan Bule.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Lan Bule’.

The new Verbena is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gilroy, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new compact Verbena cultivars with early and uniform flowering, good basal branching, attractive flower and foliage coloration, and tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

The new Verbena originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 2000 of a proprietary Verbena hybrida selection identified as code number 99-1027-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Verbena hybrida selection identified as code number 99-977-8, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Lan Bule was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif. in January, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in Gilroy, Calif., since January, 2001 has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Lan Bule’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Lan Bule’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Early and uniform flowering habit.     -   4. Dark blue violet-colored flowers.     -   5. Relatively less susceptible to Powdery Mildew.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more vigorous than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had thicker stems than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena and the female parent selection         differed in flower color as plants of the female parent         selection had light purple-colored flowers.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more compact than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena flowered earlier than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena and the male parent selection         differed in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         had purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the cultivar Lan Litpur Two, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application Ser. No. 10/818,489. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the cultivar Lan Litpur Two primarily in flower color as plants of the new Verbena had slightly lighter-colored flowers than plants of the cultivar Lan Litpur Two.

The new Verbena can be compared to the cultivar, Sunmaricos, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,292. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the cultivar Sunmaricos in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena had more pointed leaf apices than         plants of the cultivar Sunmaricos.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter and brighter         green-colored sepals than plants of the cultivar Sunmaricos.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena were darker in color         than flowers of plants of the cultivar Sunmaricos.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Lan Bule’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flower racemes and leaves of ‘Lan Bule’.

Flower and foliage colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Verbena.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Lan Bule have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Gilroy, Calif., under commercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse during the summer with day temperatures about 24 to 32° C., night temperatures about 13 to 18° C. and light levels about 2,000 foot-candles. Plants used for the photographs and description were about twelve weeks from planting rooted cuttings and were pinched twice. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida cultivar Lan Bule. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Verbena hybrida             selection identified as code number 99-1027-1, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary Verbena hybrida             selection identified as code number 99-977-8, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 7 to 10 days at 22 to 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner.—About three to             four weeks at 22 to 24° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent             plant habit.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely-branching             with about seven main stems and multiple secondary lateral             branches.         -   Plant height.—About 12 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 47 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 mm. Internode length: Vegetative branches, about 2 cm;             reproductive branches, about 3.5 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:             About 4 cm. Width: About 3.3 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex:             Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Cleft to broadly             crenate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Coarse,             pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate, netted. Color:             Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A.             Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B.             Venation, upper surface: 147B. Venation, lower surface:             147C. Petiole: Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Color: 145A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single upright salverform flowers             arranged on terminal racemes; flowers sessile. Freely             flowering with about 38 flowers per raceme; about three             racemes per lateral branch. Inflorescences positioned above             and beyond the foliage. Flowers last about five to seven             days under greenhouse conditions. Flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering season:—In the garden, flowering is continuous             from spring until fall.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About             5.5 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 1.8 cm. Tube length: About 2.4             cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Tubular. Color: 90B.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower fused at base.             Lobe length: About 9 mm. Lobe width: About 8 mm. Shape:             Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Velvety, smooth. Color: When opening,             upper surface: 86B. When opening, lower surface: 86D. Fully             opened, upper surface: 83B; towards the base, close to 155D;             color becoming closer to 83C with development. Fully opened,             lower surface: 86D. Throat: Close to 154D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five, fused into a tube.             Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Shape:             Ligulate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Coarse, pubescent. Color, upper surface:             147B. Color, lower surface: 147C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Angle: Upright or curving upward on horizontal stems.             Strength: Strong. Color: 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Four. Anther shape:             Ovoid. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 145A.             Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 150B. Pistils:             Quantity: One. Pistil length: About 1.8 cm. Stigma shape:             Bi-parted. Stigma color: 145A. Style length: About 1.5 cm.             Style color: 145D. Ovary color: 145B.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have been     observed to be relatively less susceptible to Powdery Mildew. Plants     of the new Verbena have not been observed to be resistant to other     pathogens and pests common to Verbena. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 2 to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Lan Bule’, as illustrated and described. 